Patents by Inventor Keigo Kitajima

Keigo Kitajima has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20040021023
    Abstract: A reel unit for a spinning reel includes a reel body, a rod attachment leg that is formed integrally with the reel body, and a reinforcing member that is coupled to the reel body by being mounted opening. The rod attachment leg has an accommodation space that opens longitudinally along the length thereof, and the reinforcing member is mounted in this accommodation space. The reinforcing member is a metal member. A portion of the reinforcing member protrudes from the outer peripheral surfaces of the rod attachment leg. A through hole is formed in the lower portion of the reinforcing member, and a screw is inserted into the through hole to be screwed fast to the reel body. In this manner, the strength of a rod attachment leg on a reel unit of a spinning reel can be increased with an inexpensive structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6655619
    Abstract: Reciprocating mechanism for a spinning-reel, which reciprocates the spool in response to rotation of the rotor, has a worm, a slider, an intermediate gear, a first guide shaft, and a second guide shaft. Crisscrossing helical grooves are formed in the outer circumference of worm, which is rotatively supported by the reel unit. Slider, which is coupled to the spool, has an engagement pin that engages helical grooves, and a slider body that has a mounting hole that pivotably supports engagement pin such that engagement pin engages helical grooves from radial outside of worm. Intermediate gear transmits rotation of rotor to worm. First and second guide shafts guide slider in the direction of spool shaft. First guide shaft is disposed on a side of engagement member opposite the side closer to worm. With the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size of reciprocating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6655622
    Abstract: Spinning-reel spool, which reciprocates back-and-forth with respect to reel unit, is furnished with bobbin trunk, inner barrel member, front flange, and skirt. Bobbin trunk, outer-circumferentially onto which fishing line is wound, is formed from sheet metal. Inner barrel member is installed on the inner circumferential side of bobbin trunk. Inner barrel member has a male-threaded portion on its rear end. Front flange is provided on bobbin trunk, and is coupled to inner barrel member via the male-threaded portion. Skirt is provided on the rear end of bobbin trunk. Skirt has a larger diameter than that of bobbin trunk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Keigo Kitajima, Yoshiyuki Furomoto
  • Patent number: 6629655
    Abstract: A reel body of a spinning reel includes: a body member having an opening on a side portion thereof; a lid member screwed to the body member so as to close the opening of the side portion of the body member; a cover member attached along the outer shape of the rear of the body member and the lid member; a nut member; and a screw member. The body member has a recessed portion and a bore portion formed such that surfaces defining the recessed portion and the bore portion open out. The recessed portion and the bore portion are connected. The nut member is non-rotatably coupled to the recessed portion. The screw member is coupled to the bore portion to be inserted into the nut member. The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive fastening structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Publication number: 20030173437
    Abstract: A spinning reel rotor is rotatively mounted onto a reel unit of a spinning reel and winds fishing line onto a spool. The rotor is provided with a cylindrical portion, a bail arm, and first and second rotor arms having first and second cover members. The cylindrical portion is rotatively mounted to an end of the reel unit. The first and second rotor arms extend in the direction away from the reel unit from diametrically opposing positions of the reel unit side end portion of the cylindrical portion. The second cover member covers the outside of the second rotor arm and has a plurality of through holes formed in its outside surface. In a spinning reel rotor to which cover members are mounted, it is possible to inexpensively prevent the rotor from being scratched such that its appearance can be maintained without losing the classic look of the reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventors: Masakazu Iwabuchi, Keigo Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6612511
    Abstract: A drag knob of a spinning reel includes a main knob unit, a presser unit and a retaining member. The knob unit is a die-cast member having a concave portion provided on the rear side, and interlocking grooves that are formed on the front side at a certain spacing in circumferential direction, and extend along an axis direction through an outer periphery of the concave portion up to a groove end. A portion of the presser unit is accommodated in the concave portion. The retaining member has corner portions that interlock with the interlocking grooves, and contact portions that are formed in one piece with the corner portions and contact the presser unit from the rear side. The retaining member has enough elasticity to be mounted in the concave portion to retain the presser unit. The present invention reduces the manufacturing costs of a fishing reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Publication number: 20030146322
    Abstract: A power transmission mechanism is for transmitting power from a handle of a spinning reel to an oscillating mechanism, and includes a pinion gear, a dual-stepped gear, and a driven gear. The pinion gear rotates in cooperation with rotation of the handle. The dual-stepped gear has a larger-diameter gear that is a helical-tooth gear and meshes with the pinion gear, and a smaller-diameter gear that is arranged coaxially with the larger-diameter gear and is formed unitarily with the larger-diameter gear. The smaller-diameter gear is a straight-tooth gear or a helical gear whose orientation is substantially the same as an orientation of the larger gear. The driven gear meshes with the smaller-diameter gear to rotate the oscillating mechanism. In a power transmission device in a fishing reel, manufacturing cost is reduced while suppressing noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventors: Keigo Kitajima, Koji Takikura, Taisei Morise
  • Publication number: 20030146319
    Abstract: A spinning reel rotor includes a cylindrical portion, first and second rotor arms, a bail arm, and a second cover member. The cylindrical portion is mounted rotatably to one end of a reel unit. The first and a second rotor arms extend in a direction away from the reel unit while being curved outward in radial direction from a position in opposition, with respect to the radial direction, to an end of the cylindrical portion on the reel unit side. An aperture is formed in the second rotor arm. The second cover member covers the outside of the second rotor arm and has through holes for adjusting its mass. The through holes expose a portion of the aperture. In this rotor that has a rotor arm provided with an aperture, variations in the rotational balance of cover members due to different degrees of exposure of the aperture are suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventors: Masakazu Iwabuchi, Keigo Kitajima
  • Publication number: 20030146325
    Abstract: A reel unit for a spinning reel has a casing and a lid portion. The casing has an opening formed in its side portion, a mechanism accommodating space formed inside, and a rotation support portion for supporting a rotation shaft (pinion gear) of the rotor. The lid portion has a cover portion and a mounting leg portion. The cover portion is mounted detachably to the casing to cover the opening of the casing. The cover portion is formed unitarily with a second flange portion so as to define a space in the interior thereof. The mounting leg portion extends from the cover portion and to the front end of which a fishing rod can be mounted. In this reel unit, the weight of the lid portion is reduced at low cost while precision and relative strength are maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6598817
    Abstract: Dual-bearing reel, having two clutch-operating handles for performing different clutch operations, designed to facilitate maintenance work on the interior of the handle-mounting side. A mechanism mounting plate (11) for the dual-bearing reel is provided on a side cover (7) on the handle-mounting side of the reel body, and meanwhile on a side plate (9) on the handle-mounting side, which lets the spool (12) pass through, two clutch-operating handles (17), (27) are fitted for shifting without coming of. Further, a clutch plate (55) that, linked to the two clutch-operating handles (17), (27) engages with a clutch switching mechanism, is provided within the mechanism mounting space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventors: Keigo Kitajima, Ong San Cheng
  • Publication number: 20030136866
    Abstract: First sounding mechanism, which issues sound when spool rotates relative to spool shaft, is furnished with sound-emitting member, pawl member, and plate spring. Sound-emitting member is non-rotatably mounted on spool shaft, and has multiple jags radially jutting on its outer periphery. Pawl member has body portion pivotably mounted on spool; pawl portion formed on the spool-shaft side of the swing center; and arcuate contact face formed on body portion on a side of the swing center SC opposite spool shaft. First-side radius R1 of contact face, is smaller than its second-side radius R2. Plate spring mounted on spool at an end nearer the first side of contact-face is, and contacts contact face at the other end, urging pawl portion of pawl member to collide with sound-emitting member. In a spinning-reel sounding device having a pawl member, the tone fluctuations due to spool rotational direction are controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC
    Inventors: Keigo Kitajima, Hirokazu Hiraoka
  • Publication number: 20030136867
    Abstract: A drag knob of a spinning reel includes a main knob unit, a presser unit and a retaining member. The knob unit is a die-cast member having a concave portion provided on the rear side, and interlocking grooves that are formed on the front side at a certain spacing in circumferential direction, and extend along an axis direction through an outer periphery of the concave portion up to a groove end. A portion of the presser unit is accommodated in the concave portion. The retaining member has corner portions that interlock with the interlocking grooves, and contact portions that are formed in one piece with the corner portions and contact the presser unit from the rear side. The retaining member has enough elasticity to be mounted in the concave portion to retain the presser unit. The present invention reduces the manufacturing costs of a fishing reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Publication number: 20030066920
    Abstract: A reel body of a spinning reel includes: a body member having an opening on a side portion thereof; a lid member screwed to the body member so as to close the opening of the side portion of the body member; a cover member attached along the outer shape of the rear of the body member and the lid member; a nut member; and a screw member. The body member has a recessed portion and a bore portion formed such that surfaces defining the recessed portion and the bore portion open out. The recessed portion and the bore portion are connected. The nut member is non-rotatably coupled to the recessed portion. The screw member is coupled to the bore portion to be inserted into the nut member. The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive fastening structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Applicant: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Publication number: 20030047633
    Abstract: Reciprocating mechanism for a spinning-reel, which reciprocates the spool in response to rotation of the rotor, has a worm, a slider, an intermediate gear, a first guide shaft, and a second guide shaft. Crisscrossing helical grooves are formed in the outer circumference of worm, which is rotatively supported by the reel unit. Slider, which is coupled to the spool, has an engagement pin that engages helical grooves, and a slider body that has a mounting hole that pivotably supports engagement pin such that engagement pin engages helical grooves from radial outside of worm. Intermediate gear transmits rotation of rotor to worm. First and second guide shafts guide slider in the direction of spool shaft. First guide shaft is disposed on a side of engagement member opposite the side closer to worm. With the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size of reciprocating mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: SHIMANO, INC.
    Inventor: Keigo Kitajima
  • Publication number: 20020117570
    Abstract: Spinning-reel spool, which reciprocates back-and-forth with respect to reel unit, is furnished with bobbin trunk, inner barrel member, front flange, and skirt. Bobbin trunk, outer-circumferentially onto which fishing line is wound, is formed from sheet metal. Inner barrel member is installed on the inner circumferential side of bobbin trunk. Inner barrel member has a male-threaded portion on its rear end. Front flange is provided on bobbin trunk, and is coupled to inner barrel member via the male-threaded portion. Skirt is provided on the rear end of bobbin trunk. Skirt has a larger diameter than that of bobbin trunk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Keigo Kitajima, Yoshiyuki Furomoto
  • Publication number: 20020033426
    Abstract: Dual-bearing reel, having two clutch-operating handles for performing different clutch operations, designed to facilitate maintenance work on the interior of the handle-mounting side. A mechanism mounting plate (11) for the dual-bearing reel is provided on a side cover (7) on the handle-mounting side of the reel body, and meanwhile on a side plate (9) on the handle-mounting side, which lets the spool (12) pass through, two clutch-operating handles (17), (27) are fitted for shifting without coming of. Further, a clutch plate (55) that, linked to the two clutch-operating handles (17), (27) engages with a clutch switching mechanism, is provided within the mechanism mounting space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Inventors: Keigo Kitajima, Ong San Cheng